The Umkhonto we Sizwe Party (MKP) has condemned the EFF and ANC for submitting apologies for meetings of the Ad Hoc committee investigating corruption allegations and claims of political interreference in the criminal justice system for this whole week.
The condemnation was deposited by the leader of the MKP in the committee, lawyer Sibonelo Nomvalo, who said the absence of the EFF and ANC members was weakening the work of the committee at a crucial stage since the committee is set to bring down the curtain in a fortnight.
Two EFF members absent
His reaction came after committee chairperson Soviet Lekganyane announced that EFF leader Julius Malema submitted apologies for the whole week owing to “organisational commitments”.
Another member of the committee from the red berets brigade, deputy secretary-general Leigh-Ann Mathys, submitted an apology to arrive late on Tuesday and be absent later in the week. She gave the same reason of “organizational commitment” as Malema.
Members from other parties such as Patriotic Alliance, IFP and Freedom Front Plus were also absent at the start of the Tuesday proceedings. However, they said they would join along the way during the course of the day.
Malema was joined by ANC’s chief whip Mdumiseni Ntili and justice portfolio committee chairperson Xola Nqola on those that missed Tuesday’s session for “organisational commitments”.
Malema submitted apologies for Wednesday and Thursday too, also for organisational commitments.
MKP wants new, strict rules on absenteeism
This seems to have irked Nomvalo, who raised his hand immediately after the apologies were announced. And he went for the kill.
“We want to register our great feeling of unease by this number of apologies. We weaken the work of this committee towards the end, so they must be reprimanded, chair. In future, apologies from one organisation should not be more than two,” charged Nomvalo.
“At least if there is one person present, because we are also organisational commitments. That is why we say organisations that have more than one member are privileged. Because when one is absent, one should be available as a basic principle.”
ANC’s Khusela Sangoni caught feelings and pushed back against Nomvalo. She accused him of creating rules that do not exist.
Speaking in defence of Ntuli and Nqola, Sangoni fired back at Nomvalo.
“We must not agree to things that are not provided for in the rules. There is nothing that says a party can have so many apologies or it cannot have apologies.
“So I do not think anybody who exercises their right to submit an apology should be reprimanded. We have not had a tradition of coming to this meeting and accepting apologies and not accepting others, reprimanding some and not reprimanding others,” Sangoni went on.
ANC disagrees, no rules needed
“Parties must be allowed to make their own internal arrangement. And they must ensure that members are able to submit apologies when they need to.”
Nomvalo was not backing down. In fact, he increased the temperature during his second bite at the cherry.
“We cannot roll a red carpet for unjustifiable purposes. We maintain our position. It is wrong. Especially towards the end of the work of this committee to have apologies from all members of a political party. We do not want to be part of that tradition. Even if you continue with it, you must continue knowing that as the MKP, we do not endorse that kind of practise,” said Nomvalo.
“People were making all sorts of commitments here when we were beginning our work. Others were even saying they are willing to work on weekends. Now the work is here, people are giving excuses.
“What is happening here today is undesirable, and we are condemning it as the MK Party. You cannot have a committee with many members not available in the committee.”
The committee meeting proceeded to hear submissions from civil society organisations. And it will continue to do so on Wednesday.
This while the headache of what is to be done to controversial forensic investigator Paul O’Sullivan continues to rock the committee. After the man skipped the country and said if he appears before the committee, he would not answer questions from certain political parties.
The committee has resolved that O’Sullivan will be subpoenaed should he reject the invite to appear before the committee to answer serious allegations that he captured the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) during Robert McBride’s tenure and weaponised the watchdog against his enemies within the police.
